Various processes for testing the quality of a wire bond connection have been proposed heretofore. For example, the bond connection formed between the bond wire and the substrate can be tested by applying in the longitudinal direction of the wire a force thereto which ruptures the bond between the bond wire and the substrate. The force which is detected in this test is that which is required to destroy the bond connection. While this method does supply information as to the quality of the bond connection, it has the drawback that the use of the method destroys the bond connection itself which is a significant drawback. The nondestructive tension testing method applies force in the longitudinal direction of the bond wire while a satisfactory bond connection can resist the force so that only defective bond connections will be destroyed. Connections which satisfy this type of qualitative test can be used.
Quality testing of the connection between bond wires and their substrates of the state of the art have the drawback that to apply the test force, a device must be provided on the bond head which allow clamping to the wire. Usually the wire clamp has two jaws which must engage the wire between them so that a pull can be exerted on the wire through the clamp. Aside from the fact that the construction of the clamp is expensive, the use of the clamp takes a considerable amount of time and testing with these devices thus may slow down the rate of production of bond-wire connection.